For the past several thousands of years, mankind has developed many methods of storing the energy of the sun. These storage methods have generally taken the form of thermal energy (stored in high heat capacity storage means, such as bodies of water) or electrical energy (stored in electric batteries or the like). Storage of heat is an excellent way of storing solar energy if the ultimate use involves the slow release of energy, as in the heating of buildings. Electric batteries are adequate for use when large forces are not necessary or where electric energy is used directly, as in radios or the like. There is, however, a need for solar energy storage for use where large forces are necessary or large amounts of work need to be expended in a very short time span. Attempts to obtain this sort of storage in conversion in the past have been less than successful. This failure has largely been due to the fact that the equipment involved was expensive and complicated and easily rendered inoperative. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.
It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide an apparatus for storing solar energy in which large amounts of energy are available for release in a very short period of time.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a solar energy apparatus in which energy is stored at a slow rate, but may be released at a rapid rate with high force available.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus for converting solar energy to mechanical energy with high efficiency.
It is another object of the instant invention to provide a solar storage and release apparatus which is simple in construction, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which is capable of a long life of useful service with a minimum of maintenance.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a solar storage apparatus in which the stored energy is immediately available at a high work rate.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.